IT'S IN HIS HEART (RED RIVER VALLEY #1) introduces us to many characters whose lives are intertwined whether friends from Albuquerque or from Red River Valley. Ella and Coop are front and center and both are trying to put their lives back on track. She lost her husband several years ago and needs to regroup and move forward and is finally ready to do so. He is entangled in a court case that has caused his chiropractor's license to be suspended. Although they never got along, even though Coop and her husband were best friends from childhood, now that they are thrown together in their jointly owned cabin sparks do fly!

Alexander's IT'S IN HIS HEART has family and friends, death, injuries, heartache, fear, resilience, secrets and lies, reminisces and memories, surprises, a town full of people that know everybody's business, protectiveness, erotic romance books that have the women and their husbands all atwitter along with romance, lots of loving and love. When Ella and Coop meet up in their cabin they are surprised to find the other is planning to stay there indefinitely - each for their own reasons. There is one argument after another between them and neither will give in and let it go. Coop's dad, Butch and his teenage brother, Cal, were nice additions to the story and gave some needed balance and voices of reason - not that Ella or Coop put much stock in what they had to say. It was nice to see the bond she had with them and how they tried to clue Coop in. Although new to Red River Valley she fit right in - making friends, participating in community events and having fun when she wasn't being rigid and could open up. Throughout we are kept abreast of Coop's legal problems and it's endearing to see how Ella believed him without question when his old friends did not. Watching their one step forward, two steps back approach over and over was telling but also frustrating. When they were together though it was oh, so good except when Ella wanted to hide their relationship from others. Ella and Coop seemed to make the other whole not only when they were burning up the sheets.

There was closure and a happily ever after that should have been labeled an epilogue. Every now and then I had to flip back a page in my Nook thinking I had skipped a page since the flow wasn't always there and caused the story to be jumpy in parts and felt that I had missed something along the way. I do want to return to Red River Valley to see what else happens in this small town!

Alexander is a new author and I look forward to reading more books in her RED RIVER VALLEY SERIES. Next up is IT'S IN HIS TOUCH coming out in November.